Identity theft over the Internet has been and continues to be an issue faced by service providers and its subscribers. As common communication devices such as house or office phones migrate to the Internet for data as well as voice communications, a risk arises that private information associated with these communication devices (e.g., a Media Access Control address, serial number, etc.) can be stolen and used to program counterfeit devices to access communication services of subscribers without authorization.
A need therefore arises for a method and apparatus for authenticating a communication device.